Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Carols]

Sounds pretty positive all things considered!

'But I came through it well, even if I had to make a big effort compared to other riders who have got more race form. I went for it a little too early on the climb, and I maybe lacked a little bit of punch at the end.”

“The objective was to lose as little time as possible, and that’s what I managed to do. There are a lot of riders going better than me right now.”

His knee injury, in any case, “didn’t bother me at all in this heat. It’s only when it cools down after an effort that it hurts. I’ll go on taking it on the day by day, but this was very encouraging. One day less, and I’m very pleased to have got through such a demanding one.”

 

[No_Balls]

Yeah. These punchy, sprinteresque, kinds of uphill finishes can be really devastating if you lack a bit of rhytm and had put him into early "difficulties" before - just to blow everyone and everything apart later. I think he did pretty good all things considered because the rhytm is clearly not there.

His team is atrocious when the road goes up, I think that's his biggest concern, he won't be able to defend anything with that team.

Remember that they didn't look well in the first couple of punchy stages during the Tour. They could still be conservering for whatever mission ahead (stage 16? 20?) and being less strong then their Tour counterparts they have to look even more awful during this first little test. We are talking really early days here.

Besides, they are not tailormade for defending any eventual jerseys until (IF the situation occurs) second or third week.

 

[yespatterns]

I'm hoping Contie has a good showing, but I'm definiteley starting to worry TS don't have much GC expectation based on the team line up. Then again maybe they are only there to help out until he's healed and the road goes up. This will be a good Vuelta in any event.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I'm hoping Contie has a good showing, but I'm definiteley starting to worry TS don't have much GC expectation based on the team line up. Then again maybe they are only there to help out until he's healed and the road goes up. This will be a good Vuelta in any event.

It's not like they could've lined up a better team.

 

[the sceptic]

today he looked like a sprinter trying to get up a hill by placing himself at the front and then slowly drifting backwards

Anyway stage 6 will tell us more. If he gets dropped there then GC is over

 

[Red Rick]

today he looked like a sprinter trying to get up a hill by placing himself at the front and then slowly drifting backwards

Anyway stage 6 will tell us more. If he gets dropped there then GC is over

Nah, it all depends on how he gets dropped. If he loses a lot it's over ofcourse, but if he's only dropped in the last k its not too bad

 

[yespatterns]

Nah, it all depends on how he gets dropped. If he loses a lot it's over ofcourse, but if he's only dropped in the last k its not too bad

For sure limiting loses is the plan for this week. Man, stage 6 is looking to be a major hinge this year. I'll be stuck at work sneaking peeks at coverage

 

[TomekA]

Contador was dropped on first mountain stage in 2012 by Froome and Rodriguez and still won Vuelta

 

[cineteq]

Contador was dropped on first mountain stage in 2012 by Froome and Rodriguez and still won Vuelta

Life is black and white too.

 

[damian13ster]

For sure limiting loses is the plan for this week. Man, stage 6 is looking to be a major hinge this year. I'll be stuck at work sneaking peeks at coverage

Yeah, and just to add an injury to the insult, I will have a couple days off starting friday. My first day back in work is during TT. FML

 

[ILovecycling]

IMO, a silly participation if Contador is not there for the win. What does he have to prove?

and for what is he there?sight seeing?

 

[Red Rick]

Did we see his ALS Ice bucket challenge already?

 

[No_Balls]

Did we see his ALS Ice bucket challenge already?

Not seen anything. But he cant back down now for sure:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SnLpkKWyq0g

 

[LaFlorecita]

 

[LaFlorecita]

Did we see his ALS Ice bucket challenge already?

Nope, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even know he'd been nominated by Pedrosa, perhaps Froome will tell him in the race.

 

[SeriousSam]

I wonder why he didn't nominate Nibali. I think this has deep implications about what he thinks regarding Nibali's level in relation to his own and Contador's.

 

[Afrank]

I wonder why he didn't nominate Nibali. I think this has deep implications about what he thinks regarding Nibali's level in relation to his own and Contador's.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152671545008524&permPage=1

 

[SeriousSam]

Ah, this does disconfirm my prima facie plausible hypothesis.

 

[Donkey]

This is probably the worst picture ever, he looks completely gay!

 

[hrotha]

This is probably the worst picture ever, he looks completely gay!

And what would the problem with that be?

 

[Jspear]

And what would the problem with that be?

He is married to a woman....that could make it a problem.

 

[The Hitch]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152671545008524&permPage=1

Somewhere Vino is watching that and saying to himself - "pff pussies."

6 months from now a computer from a remote village in Siberia will post a video onto youtube titled "Real Ice bucket challenge".

 

[The Hitch]

And what would the problem with that be?

Maybe he meant...

 

[gregrowlerson]

So far so good

 

[bridgeman]

I doubt Contador will finish the race.